Lederhosen...Germany's Kilt

[Black Watch]

I am a native German - but I would never ever wear Lederhosen!!
I would feel "costumed" with that typical Bavarian (not German!) garment and I would surely never be able to feel as comfortable wearing Lederhosen than wearing my Kilt.
May sound a bit silly because most peaople - not only here in Germany - would expect a German's attitude being exactly the opposite.

That said, I am just going, kilted, of course, to meet some friends for late night shopping.

Mike

[Seanmadra]

Ok, Ok, I'll admit it. Much like Meghan's mother's and her comment, my mother is of German heritage and she reminded me of such. So I now wear one of Rocky's German Heritage semi-casual tartan kilts. I even have a Bavarian knife, with antler handle, typically worn in a purpose-made Lederhosen pocket, and it is topped with a miniature Dachshund piece. Makes a great Sgian Dubh in a pair of my German Tracht hiking socks. Few weeks back, I attended a local German Fest, wearing the tartan and another local had on his lederhosen. His wife wore the dirndl but unfortunately, there was not a camera to be found....so consider this all fiction. BTW - I lived in Bavaria in the early 90's and our landlord and his entire family were part of a local Trachten Verein (club) and they wore traditional clothing frequently, performed in dances, parades, and bier festivals. What a kick. Fond, fond, memories. Four weeks and counting until my next trip to Germany. Did I happen to mention how German women over 60 respond to a younger man in a kilt? Another thread for another time; must run now to the Great Punkin Chunkin in Delaware. Camera is already packed.

[Meggers]

They identify us with it because that's what we've exported to their countries. McDonald's, Starbucks, Levi's jeans, and stuff like that may be the only view they have of what America is like. How in the world would they know anything about small-town rural life here?

Of course, I'm sure every culture wants to face-palm over how the rest of the world views them. Just as the Scots tend to roll their eyes at the idea that Americans think of Scotland as a nation full of anachronistic kilt-wearing Highlanders with blue face paint and two-handed claymores, and just as the Germans perhaps cringe at the thought of the rest of the world thinking of them as pilsner-drinking, wurst-and-sauerkraut-eating guys in lederhosen (or worse, the WWII-era connotation). We all view our own native cultures differently than the world stereotypes us. Sadly, though, we Americans have not done a very good job of broadcasting who we are except for the worst examples of commercialised mass-marketed garbage.

Well Idk...There are enough movies, tv shows, and books that give a glimpse, even if it is small, of what normal American life is like. I think it's pretty obvious, given our huge role in making of movies and our grip on the media, that Mickey Mouse and Big Macs isnt the only side of America that is shown to the world.

The second paragraph if what you wrote is very sad but true.

[Tobus]

Well Idk...There are enough movies, tv shows, and books that give a glimpse, even if it is small, of what normal American life is like. I think it's pretty obvious, given our huge role in making of movies and our grip on the media, that Mickey Mouse and Big Macs isnt the only side of America that is shown to the world.

The second paragraph if what you wrote is very sad but true.

Even if they were briefly exposed to what "normal American life" is like, that doesn't mean it's the overall impression they walk away with. I think you underestimate the power of marketing and the power of suggestion! It is the loud noises that people hear and remember. It's the shocking visual images that they see and remember. And it's the odd cultural differences that form their perceptions of who we are. The same is true all over the world. It's not like they study all facets of American life and intentionally form a well-educated opinion about what they think our country is like. Some probably do, but in general, the 'masses' don't. They just get bits and pieces of America, and it sticks in their minds.

Heck, I even remember when I was in high school, two kids moved down here to Texas with their family. They were shocked and disappointed that we didn't all ride horses and have oil wells in our yards. They truly were under the impression (thanks to Hollywood) that that's the way Texas was. Never underestimate the power of television to completely bastardize a culture for entertainment purposes!

[Bugbear]

* Never mind.

[Meggers]

Even if they were briefly exposed to what "normal American life" is like, that doesn't mean it's the overall impression they walk away with. I think you underestimate the power of marketing and the power of suggestion! It is the loud noises that people hear and remember. It's the shocking visual images that they see and remember. And it's the odd cultural differences that form their perceptions of who we are. The same is true all over the world. It's not like they study all facets of American life and intentionally form a well-educated opinion about what they think our country is like. Some probably do, but in general, the 'masses' don't. They just get bits and pieces of America, and it sticks in their minds.

Heck, I even remember when I was in high school, two kids moved down here to Texas with their family. They were shocked and disappointed that we didn't all ride horses and have oil wells in our yards. They truly were under the impression (thanks to Hollywood) that that's the way Texas was. Never underestimate the power of television to completely bastardize a culture for entertainment purposes!

I guess but Ive never been to Texas and am not living under a rock. I know thats not what Texas is like. If someone thinks it is, forgive me, but I think they're not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.

I guess I equate it with Americans thinking that all Middle Easterners are violent, oppressed and evil or that Ireland is all drunk people and Scots all run around waving claymores in the air with kilts on. That's offensive, is it not? Therefore, for someone to think that America is all cheeseburgers and Mickey is just as offensive.

[Zardoz]

Tobus, you don't have an oil well in your yard? Whatever do you tie your horse to?

[Mark Stephenson]

Although I am of Scottish heritage on both sides of my family, my great grandmother on my Mother's side was German. She was very much the family matriarch. As such, it is quite natural for me to celebrate both my Highland and German heritages. I have both lederhosen and bundhosen and appropriate accessories. Generally, I only wear Trachen clothing on certain occasions or at a German festival. On the other hand, when I am kilted, I feel like I am "me" and feel comfortable wearing a kilt pretty much anywhere. I'll wear Trachten clothing a couple of times a year, but will be kilted several times a month. BTW - good lederhosen, made of deerskin and bone buttons with hand embroidered designs approach the cost of a wool kilt. A friend of mine ran into me last Christmas at a German Christmas festival and was surprised to see me in lederhosen. He asked what the deal was, and I said , basically, I'll go to any festival where they serve beer! My wife, who is also both German and Scottish, has several dirndls, and if I do say so, she looks absolutely beautiful in them!

[James Hood]

Query for the Brits among the Rabble:

What are the below-knee-length trousers used with Country Socks called and what is the etiquette and frequency of their wearing?

[Joshua]

*giggles*
This thread just reminds me of a very interesting conversation I recently had about the power of dirndls.